Ocup #3 at Sir Sam's in Haliburton was last weekend (June 9)...which reminded me I hadn't reported on #2!
So before I write about Sir Sam's... here is my Mansfield story...
Waiting in the start pen...I was feeling hyper & anxious to get the yucky first hill climb over with. In case you haven't been to Mansfield it's on the escarpment and the start is always straight up. Every year my fitness has improved and the climb has been a little less awful...so I knew it wouldn't be as bad as last year but racing hard straight up it is always tough!
I made sure to get there in time to get a good start spot - I didn't want to start at the back again like the first Ocup. And then the coolest thing happened...because I finished 5th last race...I got called up! My first time having that happen! I lined my tire up in the front row right next to Michelle. Hee hee. It's on baby!!
Go time!
So cool like never before I felt powerful as if I had a jet pack on or something. I just pedalled strong & even changed gears a couple times for more speed (harder! going up? yeah!) & found myself on the back wheel of super fast Shannon. 2nd spot all the way up to the singletrack...the whole rest of the pack behind me...WOW! Even cooler than getting called up...having everyone behind me on the Mansfield start hill!
Then we hit the singletrack. I was trying my best to be smooth, flow,....breathe....I couldn't breathe....Shannon was so fast in the trail! So awesome. I was so totally cooked from my super fun & awesome start hill bonanza. The rest of the race was kind of a blur while I paid for killing it at the start...trying to not lose too many positions... (my sad snail speed through the feed zone wasn't helping). Definitely not the smartest race tactics...or maybe not too bad?? For sure was fun & good for another 5th place finish!
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| Happy & barely standing up spent! |
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